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Immune System

Children’s Minnesota patient Josh Karels, age 15, has a rare, terminal immune disorder that attacks his body’s major organs. Despite having a disease that could take his life at any moment, Josh continues to play hockey and uses the sport as his motivation to live life to the fullest.

Typically, an initial visit will last between one and two hours, although it can sometimes take longer. We ask that you work with our staff to sign consent forms to release records from your primary clinic and any other specialists you’ve seen—reviewing outside records gets us up to speed on much of what we need to know about your child’s medical history. Please also bring along a family history, as it’s important to know if any family members have had immune problems.

We know that when a child is frequently ill, everyone in the family is on the health care journey, too. That’s why we promote education for everyone and provide opportunities for families and children to connect with other individuals in similar situations. Such opportunities include national patient partner programs and local events specifically for patients and families with primary immune deficiencies.

When a child suffers from too many infections, it isn’t always easy to pinpoint the reason. Because we only care for children, we’re experts in the ways the immune system develops from birth to young adulthood. We take all that knowledge and expertise with pediatric conditions to formulate the best treatment plan to help your child.

Our immune system is designed to defend us from infections, but sometimes it doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to. When that happens, issues that might be small for most people, like a winter cold, can turn into a big problem.